The Omaha City Council and/or the Mayor of Omaha should make a public statement declaring that Omaha law enforcement will not cooperate with ICE. Additionally, the Omaha Police Chief should enforce noncooperation with ICE agents within the Omaha Police Department. ICE poses a public safety concern for non-citizens and citizens alike in Omaha. Their operations violate habeas corpus as well as the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
Why is this important?
All residents of the Omaha metro area should feel safe and should not have to worry about their government hiring thugs to abduct and kidnap them. People of all nationalities and creeds are welcome in Omaha. The letter to be read or mailed is below:
Letter
We, the residents of Omaha, are concerned for the safety and well-being of our families, friends, and neighbors. For the following reasons, we ask that local law enforcement—specifically the Omaha Police Department—not cooperate with ICE in carrying out immigration raids.
In light of the murder of Renee Good on January 7 in Minneapolis, the safety and capability of ICE in conducting its operations has come into question. When it comes to matters of public safety and human trafficking, communication is key to ensuring the well-being of all residents in the Omaha metro area. However, the shooting the following day, which sent a married couple to the hospital, further answered questions for many Omaha residents regarding ICE’s competency in public safety.
A blatant disregard for safety is an unwelcome sight to us as residents of Omaha. Any operation in which unwarranted lethal force is used must have its legitimacy questioned.
ICE’s list of targeted groups is expanding beyond its stated scope to include the arrest of citizens and perceived political opponents of the current presidential administration. Simply put, the current incarnation of ICE is indistinguishable from far-right militias such as the Three Percenters or the Oath Keepers. While funded by taxpayer dollars, ICE has harmed the construction and agricultural industries—the backbone of Nebraska’s economy.
The people of Omaha clearly welcome individuals and families who come from abroad. ICE operations undermine community trust in local law enforcement, whose officers have deep ties to Omaha and are members of the Omaha community themselves. Last year, twenty individuals died as a result of ICE operations, an increase from the prior two administrations. These operations do not improve public safety for Omaha residents.
We ask that the City Council address these concerns with local law enforcement.